For Life
by diddykongfan
Summary: Post 3x06 AU. Gremma. Series of connected drabbles originally written for tumblr. "...Henry tried telling me once, that Graham was raised by wolves. Well, there's this saying, wolves mate for life. Graham was my mate. Or he was supposed to be my mate, anyway. That's for life." In-progress. New chapters will come as I finish them.
1. For Life

That night, at camp, Emma sits a bit apart from everyone else, playing with the shoelace around her wrist.

He was not a dark secret, no, he was not the secret that the cave needed. That's why she didn't say it. Why she'll probably never say it, unless she's forced.

"Emma," Mary Margaret's voice snaps her out of her thoughts, and she looks up to see her. In this moment she sees more of the friend she used to have than the mother who's tried way too hard too bond with her, to impose family and True Love and fairytales on her. She knows those are things she has to accept but she'd rather do it in her own time.

"Don't you have a lot to discuss with both of them?" Mary asks when their eyes meet.

"No," Emma replies.

"You have to open yourself up to hope and happy endings before you can have one-" Mary starts that same line of _crap_ over again and Emma has to stop her.

"_Henry_ is my happy ending," she growls, "Not Hook. Not Neal. Not True Love and all that. Henry."

"Emma-"

"_No._"

"Can you at least explain to me why you're so sure about that?"

"Because…" Emma sighs, knowing Mary won't drop it. She touches his boot lace again for strength.

"Because I know who my True Love is. Because I've had True Love's Kiss. That's the only thing it could've meant when he said 'I remember.' That I'd broken his damn curse. But unlike Neal, _Graham is never coming back_. No matter how much I hope and pray and believe, he's _dead_. He died in my arms!"

Mary sits next to her.

"I'm sorry, Emma," Mary says quietly, "I knew how you cared for him but I had hoped… I had hoped that there was someone else for you, no matter who it was. I just wanted to see you happy and if I let myself believe he wasn't your True Love, I could believe that you could be truly happy. But don't you think he'd want you to move on? Or at least find happiness with someone else?"

"Like I said, my happiness is Henry, and I think he'd be perfectly fine with that. Kissing Hook was stupid and irrational. And the love I have for Neal is remnants of first love, mixed with 'he gave me Henry'… Not the kind of love you build a present relationship, or a future, on. Henry tried telling me once, that Graham was raised by wolves. Well, there's this saying, wolves mate for life. Graham was my mate. Or he was supposed to be my mate, anyway. That's for life."


	2. Return of the Wolf

After Pan shows him that trick with the sword - believing it was real causing it to become so - Henry starts wondering what else he can do. He tries "believing" himself away from the camp. Doesn't work. Believing he has a candy bar… That does work. It's fair to say he's having mixed results.

There is something big he wants to try, but he isn't sure it will work. He isn't even sure if he'll know if it works – in fact, he's fairly certain he _won't_ know, not right away, that is.

But he closes his eyes and concentrates anyway.

_I believe _he thinks, picturing in his mind someone he knows will be able to help his family find him, standing tall and proud next to Emma.

…

As the members of Operation Cobra Rescue get ready to settle in for the night, a fierce wind whips across the camp. No one is sure what to think when flashes like lightening fill the skies despite the lack of rain, blinding them all momentarily.

When everything calms, they are left staring wide-eyed at a man on the ground, who has appeared from nowhere. He is groaning as he pushes himself up. Mary Margaret and Emma's mouths have fallen open in shock and Hook, Neal, and David all appear more confused than anything.

His curly brown hair is decidedly messy, his trousers and blue button-up shirt and dark vest and his red tie looking more than a little ridiculous in the Neverland jungle.

Emma is the first one of the group unfrozen, her shock from the sight of him still there, but diminished enough ("_Graham. It's Graham_," her mind keeps repeating), and though she's loath to believe it's actually him (because she could never be that lucky, could she?), she rushes to his side to help him up.

"Emma?" he questions, looking a little dizzy, "Where are we?"

He sways a little on his feet and she's quick to steady him (really him or not she can't watch him fall again, not even in such an innocent capacity as disorientation).

"Neverland," she answers automatically, "But Graham, how are you…?"

"Neverland?" he repeats, shaking his head a little, looking confused, "We were in the station…"

She leads him over to a log and sits him down.

"Graham, I need to know how you're here," she whispers.

"Emma, I don't _know_," he growls, "The last thing I remember is… Emma, I was dying."

"No, you _died_," she corrects. She's reminding herself of it more than anything. _No room for false hope_.

"Why are we in Neverland?" he changes the subject – he obviously doesn't know _how_ to address Emma's concerns and though she's still worried, she'll set it aside for a moment. She still doesn't believe it's him. She can't allow herself to believe it's-

"Where's Henry?" he asks, interrupting her train of thought, his eyes dark with concern.

"That's why we're in Neverland, Graham," she says, "Henry was taken."


	3. Their Pack

An almost inhuman rumbling comes from deep in his chest as his eyes darken even further in rage. In that instant, Emma knows it's really him.

No illusion would get so angry about Henry being taken.

Her hand drifts up to rest on his heart and their eyes lock. The heartbeat is strong, steady. The moment is almost an echo of before, of _that day_, but this time it _is _beating, it _is_ real. Somehow.

Whatever brought him back, he is hers to keep; she knows this instinctively. She smiles at him.

"We're going to get him back," she says, full of confidence. She'd been determined before, but now? Now she _knows_ they will get Henry back. If she can get Graham back, even if she doesn't know _how_ she got Graham back, she can get her son back. Because if she can get Graham back, _nothing_ is impossible.

"Do we have a plan?" Graham asks.

"Em, you're not going to trust this guy who appeared out of nowhere with the plan to get our son back," Neal protests before she can say a word.

"This is not a democracy, Neal," Mary Margaret says, "And Emma is our leader. If she decides to trust him, we trust him."

"We trust him," Emma says, not looking away from Graham for a second.

"_What?_" Neal is obviously incredulous, "Emma, he appeared out of _nowhere_. Why would we _trust_ him?"

"Because wolves always protect their pack," she explains, letting her hand drop from his chest. If he is her mate – and she knows he is, they had shared True Love's Kiss, it doesn't get more obvious than that! – then Henry is a part of his pack through her.

"We do," Graham nods, smiling back at her.

"Wait, what is this wolf pack nonsense?" David asks, his eyes darting between Emma and Graham.

Graham stands, still shaky, and bows towards David.

"This 'wolf pack nonsense,' as you put it, Your Majesty," he says, "is that I was raised by wolves, not humans, and have many a wolf's instinct. One of those instincts is to protect my family."

"Henry is not his family!" Neal protests, obviously still not willing to trust him. It's flimsy logic at best, since Graham had been around for Henry's whole life, and Emma remembers how much he cared about her son during her early days in town. It had been obvious every time she'd seen them together. Graham was protective of Henry. Almost fatherly, but not quite. Regina had probably been the wedge keeping him from being a true father figure. Not that Neal would know any of that.

Emma stands next to Graham, who has drawn himself to his full height from the bow he made to her father.

"Henry is his family," she says, taking Graham's hand, "because both of them are my family."

Graham turns his head and looks down at her, a smile on his face, a smile just like that night at the station, full of his love for her. She meets his eyes with a similar smile, unable to look at Neal and Hook, both of whom bared their souls to her earlier, both of whom apparently believed they had a chance (of course they did, she'd kissed Hook and she'd told Neal that even though she wished he was dead she still loved him)… She's just declared that neither of them has a chance, basically, just by standing by him.

Oh well. She's not worried about that right now. And they hadn't had a chance anyway… Just they hadn't known it yet.

"Mates for life, right?" she whispers. It makes her nervous, completely, but her heart has belonged to him probably since the night they met.

She barely knows him, they didn't have enough time together for her to really know him, and she's offering him lifelong commitment in the middle of the Neverland Jungle after he's been dead for far too long (who's she kidding? He'd been dead far too long after _two seconds _had passed). Of course she's nervous. There's no doubting that she would be.

"Mates for life," Graham confirms quietly, leaning down to kiss her.

He is her wolf, her Huntsman, her sheriff, her _Graham_. She is his princess, his Savior, his deputy, his _Emma_. They will get Henry back, and then they will be together.

This kiss – soft, slow, searching, passionate – this kiss is just a promise. A promise of what they will have. Henry must come first, though. Their pack is not whole without him.


	4. Whatever it Takes

Graham holds Emma in his arms. She is leaning into his chest as they try to sleep. The cries of the Lost Ones are affecting both of them. They're faint, for him, barely an itch at the back of his mind, but he hears them all the same. She, he knows, is restless from them. They're clawing at her, tearing into her.

So he does the only thing he can and holds her close, humming a lullaby his curse personality vaguely remembers softly for her, while observing the others.

The other two men, one he doesn't know, the other the pirate that Regina sent after her mother, they both stare at him with barely concealed envy and rage.

From what he's come to understand, since his arrival in Neverland, strange as it was, the one he doesn't know is Henry's father – and Gold's son. Something in him rages that the man has touched his Emma, has previously _hurt_ his Emma – he doesn't know how, but he knows it happened, that Henry's father is the reason his beautiful mate had such high walls when they met – but he does not let his rage surface. Emma would not appreciate his rage – she can protect herself, she is a strong woman, an alpha.

The pirate, he's less sure of the reasons for the obvious hatred being directed at him. He thinks it most likely that the man was lusting after Emma. There is a story, he's sure, that he will learn, as to why the pirate that was sent to kill Cora is on this rescue mission, but right now, it doesn't matter.

James and Snow, for whatever reason, seem to be angry with each other. Or rather, Snow seems angry with James. He will have to ask Emma about that in the morning.

He's going to need a weapon, to fight for Henry, he realizes. Emma had mentioned that maybe Tinker Bell would have something, and that they were going to see the fairy tomorrow, to tell her that they have an exit plan.

He _will_ fight for their boy. Henry is a part of his pack. Wolves will sacrifice themselves to protect the pack and he will be no exception if it's required. No matter if he has to give Emma up for it. She is his mate, and her happiness with her boy, the safety of both of them, is far more important to him than his own life.

He knows there is pain in her from having lost him before – she would not _lie_ to him and she said that he _died_ and he does fuzzily remember the blackness of Oblivion coming and there is no other way to account for the time that had passed between when they were in the station and when he arrived here in this strange world – and he _will not_ force her to lose him again – unless it's the only way they can have Henry back.

He wants all of them to be a pack, a family, together, of course he does. He will force himself to put up with _Regina_, if that's what it takes. But he has to be practical and he knows that if it comes down to it, he will do what he needs to get Henry back, even die once more.

He can only hope it doesn't come to that, not even for his own sake, but for Emma's. She deserves to be happy and losing him twice will certainly not bode well for her happiness.

She shifts in his arms, and he places a soft kiss in her hair, hoping to calm her. They are mates. That is for life. He has gotten a miracle second chance at that and he will do his best to live a long and happy life at her side, _with_ Henry (and, perhaps someday, he dares to hope, with a child or two that is his own flesh and blood – not that he will love Henry any less for having a different father, not that he will push this hope on Emma, he will leave that up to fate, and he will leave that hope in the back of his mind until after all this is through).

Whatever it takes.


	5. Lost Hearts

Quick A/N: to the Guest who pointed out in Part 4 that it is technically David, not James: Yes. That's correct. James is the dead twin and that's David on the Save Henry crew. However, Graham does not know that there were two of them. As far as he knows, David Nolan is the curse personality of Prince James/Charming. So, he called him James in his own mind. Just like Emma keeps calling Snow Mary Margaret.

ALSO, I realized I forgot to put this in:

**Disclaimer: If I owned Once Upon a Time, Graham never would have died in the first place, and he and Emma would probably be married by now, and Neal and Bae would not be the same person, and did you see that time Tamara killed Pinocchio, who was made out of wood, with electricity? Yeah, that wouldn't have happened because it was stupid. Also Robin Hood's role would have been worthy of all that advertising before Lacey (but NOT in the way they're going now making him Regina's soulmate or whatever it is they're trying to shove down our throats with Outlaw Queen as of 3x03! No! Robin Hood ****_always_**** belongs with Marian) and I would have moved heaven and earth to have him played by Jonas Armstrong. But since none of the above statements are true, you can clearly see that I don't own it. Sadly.**

* * *

The warmth of Emma's body is gone when he wakes in the morning. He frowns, and looks around the camp. Everyone else is still asleep.

Has she been taken? Did she leave of her own accord? _Where is she?_

His ears perk up – the cries of the Lost Ones have stopped but he still hears crying. It must be Emma, he thinks, though he doesn't know why she'd have gone off to cry alone (he will always be willing to hold her when she cries, always).

He follows the sound and finds her not too far from the campsite, leaning against a tree. She does not appear to have been weeping too profusely but her eyes are red and her cheeks damp.

"Emma," he says softly, reaching out to cup her cheek, "What's wrong? We'll get Henry back, you know we will."

She shakes her head and pushes his hand away.

"You're going to leave me again," she says.

"_Never_," he promises fiercely, taking her hands, "I will _never _leave you of my own free will. Mates for life, remember?"

"You _will_, though. Because… If I can't forgive myself… There's no way you can forgive me."

"Forgive you for what?" he prods, gently.

"We were trying to get a message to Henry, so we captured one of the Lost Boys," she says, "He wouldn't agree to help us so… Regina took his heart. I just stood back and let her, I stood back and stopped Mary Margaret from stopping her. After everything that _bitch_ did to you, to _us_, I just _let_ her take a boy's heart. A teenage boy!" Emma's explanation becomes frantic as it goes and though Graham is horrified by it (of course he is), he can see that Emma is in true distress over it.

"Emma," he sighs, closing his eyes a moment and forcing his anger to wash away, "I am not leaving you for that. You were desperate and worried about Henry, I couldn't expect you to be thinking of me at a time like that. Do I wish you'd found another way? Of course I do. But what's done is done. We'll just… Make sure the boy's heart is returned to him before we leave. It's all we can do."

Emma nods quickly in agreement to making sure the boy's heart is returned.

"You really won't leave me?" she whispers.

"Mates for life, princess," he gives her a soft smile, "No one ever said we weren't allowed to have fights or make mistakes. At the end of the day, all it is, is we're together."

She wraps her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder. He holds her close. She is not to blame here; he'll make her see that. Regina is the one who took the heart, Emma just allowed it to happen and he forgives her for that because she was desperate and it was for Henry. There must have been other ways, but Regina always was extreme, and it's quite possible Emma couldn't have stopped it if she'd tried.

No, Emma clearly blames herself enough for this and he will not add to that. The fact that a young boy's heart was ripped out snarls inside of him, of course it does, the wolf in him cannot stand the idea of such an injustice being put upon anyone after the suffering it caused him – _but he will not take this out on Emma. He will not leave Emma._ She is his mate. He hardly knows her story but he knows that she has abandonment issues and he _will not _add to them. He refuses to hurt her, in any way. He will focus this anger on Regina, the same place most of his other anger lies. More than likely, he will also focus this anger on Pan, for taking Henry in the first place, for causing Emma to be desperate enough not to stop Regina.

Hearts lost to magic are a tragedy, hearts lost to love a miracle. He lost his heart to magic once and then, when it was still gone, he lost it to love. Emma Swan made him feel, made him love, and she is the owner of his heart. He will not walk away from that, not for anything. He will show her, no matter what, he will be there for her, through everything.


	6. The Pirate

Jealousy.

Emma sees it in Neal's eyes whenever he looks at Graham. Hook's too. Neither of them has said anything about the kiss, about the fact that she had slept in Graham's arms, about any of what's gone on.

But that doesn't mean they aren't being obvious about their feelings.

"You know, Swan, you always made it sound like Baelfire was your one love."

Emma jumps at the sound of Hook's voice, away from the stream she'd been filling their canteens at. He's leaned casually against a nearby boulder, but she can tell there's nothing casual about this. This is an interrogation.

David had pulled Graham away with him to "look for firewood" – actually she's pretty sure that means her father is grilling her boyfriend, and even though she doesn't really appreciate it, since she can take care of herself, a small part of her _is_ getting a warm fuzzy feeling from it – so of course she'd wound up alone to fill the canteens while Snow dragged Neal to get Tink and tell her about the exit plan and ask if she had a spare bow or dagger or something Graham could use. Hook was supposed to be guarding the camp.

"So I lied. That a crime?" she crosses her arms, standing defiant.

"What happened to him?" Hook asks, "You told him he died, how?"

Emma frowns. This is _not_ something she wants to get into.

"Regina crushed his heart into dust," she sighs after a moment. The pirate's eyes darken and she knows it's because of what happened to Milah.

"I didn't know that at the time," she continues, "I didn't believe in magic yet and it's not like she ripped it out in front of me, she'd taken it before the curse was even cast. But I kissed him, he said he remembered, was about to kiss me again, and… It looked like a heart attack. It hurt, a lot, but I had to accept it. But the part of me… The part of me that knew I was in love with him… I had to push that down and deny it completely, because it hurt too much. That's why I lied and said Neal was the only person I'd ever loved, because it hurt too much to admit I loved – and still love, and will always love – Graham."

"And you're sure that's him, love, and not an illusion?"

"Yes."

The pirate gives a curt nod.

"What I said in the cave, Swan," he says, "I meant it, or it wouldn't have worked. But with Baelfire around, I wasn't expecting you to pick me. I hoped for it, yes, but I didn't expect it. So, you don't have to worry about me coming in the way of your happiness; I'll still help you find the boy. He's Milah's grandson, after all. She'd kill me if I didn't."

"Thank you," she says quietly, "And listen – I'm not going to deny I was attracted to you. I was, from the moment we met. But that scared me. And after what happened with Graham… I kind of swore off relationships anyway. I'm sorry, if that kiss gave you false hope, but I meant it when I said it was a one-time thing."

"I understand," he says, "But I'm not sure Baelfire will be quite so accepting."

"I know," she agrees, "But he's going to have to deal with it anyway."


	7. Promise

Graham trails behind James, the King shoving firewood into his arms every few minutes. Nothing has been said, yet, but he knows that it will be.

Finally, the King stops.

"You love my daughter," he says. Not a question, a statement.

"From the moment I met her, Your Majesty," Graham confirms.

"A long time ago," the King says, "You set me free and asked me to take care of Snow. I don't know how you're back from the dead, and I don't particularly care. I just need you to promise that you'll take care of both my girls, and Henry."

"Your Majesty?"

"I was poisoned, with Dreamshade," James points to a thorny plant nearby that's oozing black liquid, "Hook got me to a cure so that I could still help get Henry back, but that cure came with a price. I can't ever leave Neverland, Graham; I'll die if I do. So I want you to promise that you'll do everything you can to make my daughter and grandson happy, and to keep the two of them, and Snow, safe."

"King James…" Graham starts.

"It's David," the King interrupts, "James was my twin brother. I was raised a shepherd. He died and I had to take his place."

"David," he corrects, forcing himself to take this information in stride rather than question; this discussion is too serious for him to waste time with little details like that, "Of course I'm willing to do anything for Emma and Henry, but Snow doesn't need me to protect her. I'm fairly certain all Snow needs is you. You're sure you can't leave, that there's no loophole?"

"No," David admits, "All I have is Hook's word for it. But he knows more about this place than anyone else, except Pan."

"And any information from that demon would be suspect," Graham says what David has left unspoken. The pirate on their side was more likely to be telling the truth than the one who'd taken Henry in the first place was.

David nods, sadness in his eyes.

"Please, Graham. Promise me you'll take care of all of them."

"When have I ever done otherwise?" he says, forcing a small laugh, trying to make the moment just the tiniest bit lighter.

David smiles, at least. It isn't a full smile, but it's there.

"You're right," David admits, "You kept risking your own life just to save Snow and me. And you must've done something right with Emma for her to let you kiss her like that and hold her while she slept. She's not one to trust easily."

"I know," Graham agrees, "You and Snow made one stubborn woman. But I wouldn't have her any other way."


	8. Shadow

Sorry for the delay; I was waiting for 3x07 before I continued.

* * *

Emma and Graham's fingers are entwined as they follow Neal, with Mary Margaret behind them. Apparently, they have to go to someplace called "Dark Hollow" and capture Pan's Shadow. Hook and David had stayed behind with Tink, who was reluctant to even consider waiting for them, complaining she'd been misled about how put-together their exit strategy was.

Graham's hand in hers feels perfect, Emma thinks. It's something she never thought about the fact that she'd never had, but she now realizes just how much she'd craved it. It's a simple, sweet gesture of intimacy that had somehow never plagued her regretful dreams. Not like the torturous times she'd dreamt of having a real relationship with him, of marrying him, of growing old together – and she'd had those dreams, no matter how much she'd vehemently deny them if asked.

Neal is not being particularly forthcoming with the plan (he's being a jealous ass, she's pretty sure), but at least he's told them the basics. They go to Dark Hollow, light the coconut, and Pan's Shadow gets sucked in.

Sounds easier said than done, to her, but it's _something_.

When they arrive in the Hollow, their lanterns go out. That's Emma's first sign that something's wrong with this place. Something… Magical.

Graham pulls her closer to him and she's pretty sure he felt it too. This place is more than a little unsettling and she's glad he's with her.

Neal sets the coconut down.

"How are we supposed to light it?" Mary asks, gesturing to their useless lanterns. Neal pulls out a lighter from his pocket, not saying anything, and starts attempting to light the candle.

"Somehow I don't think you had that last time you were here," Emma says after a few minutes of the lighter doing nothing but sparking uselessly, "Do you want to do things right or what?" She can feel something ominous in the air and she just wants to get _out_, but they can't without Pan's Shadow.

"I've got this," Neal says sharply.

"I don't think you do," Emma replies, his sharpness and idiotic need to prove himself getting on her nerves. Graham lets out the tiniest huff of laughter.

The three shadows appear out of nowhere and while one of them pins Neal to a tree Graham quickly shields her with his body, dropping them both down next to the coconut. She picks it up and concentrates on the candle, not bothering to look at what's going on with Neal or Mary Margaret. She does what both Regina and Gold have told her and focuses on her emotions – on who she's trying to save – on Henry, really, although also on the four of them here in the Hollow – and after the longest moment of her life, the candle flickers and the shadow is drawn in and its two companions vanish.

She gets the lid on quickly and Neal snatches it out of her hand for no apparent reason – except probably that he wants to show it off to Tink and David and Hook and claim that his plan worked and he's a hero – if he does that she'll roll her eyes but say nothing because she can't be bothered to care.

"How'd you do that?" Graham asks, giving her a squeeze.

"Honestly?" she says quietly, "Regina taught me. I have magic because I'm the product of True Love… I barely know how to use it. Gold tried teaching me a little, but not enough that I would be able to use it for anything useful on this rescue mission. Regina got me to light the campfire the other day and I just used that. Look, I know that can't sit well with you-"

"Emma," he brushes a strand of hair from her face, "Stop apologizing to me. Even if she's the one teaching you, I know that you won't get that dark. She used her magic because she wanted power and it was a way for her to get that. You're using it to protect Henry, to get him back. It's going to be fine. We won't let it take over your life like she did."

"God, I've had you back for less than a day and somehow I keep feeling like I've screwed up beyond repair, and you keep having the perfect thing to say. How is that?"

"Because you can't screw this up any worse than I did when I lied to you about the night shift," Graham says, standing and pulling her to her feet, "And if you could forgive me for that… Then I better be able to forgive you for learning magic."


	9. Need to Talk

"Neal, we need to talk. _Now_," Emma says, glaring at her ex. They stand at the edge of the camp, just out of earshot of everyone. Graham is sending worried glances in their direction.

"What is it, Emma?" Neal asks, obviously trying to sound innocent.

"What were you thinking? You were so insistent on doing everything yourself and using that damn lighter that you nearly ruined our chance to save Henry. I get it, you're mad that I chose Graham, but now is _not_ the time to act like a petulant child!"

"Emma that man appeared out of nowhere and you just decided to trust him. You said that he had died. It's impossible for the dead to come back to life, that's something you should know! But you're acting like a lovesick little girl. I don't know who this 'Graham' was to you but that man is clearly a trick of Pan's."

"You did _not_ just say I'm acting like a lovesick little girl! In case you didn't notice, Graham and I are both focused on _Henry_. Not each other. Trust me, if we were focused on each other, we'd have kissed more than once by now. And you don't think I thought of the fact that this could be a trick? I did think of that. But it's not. I don't know how it happened, but that man is real, and alive, and on our side. You need to accept that! I know you said you'd never stop fighting for me, but I don't _want_ you to fight for me. I want you to accept that I made a decision, and that that decision was not _you_, and let me be with who I want. You need to focus on finding _our son_. He is what's important here, not my love life."

"You told me you loved me."

"I also told you I wished you were dead! Yes, a part of me loves you, yes, that part of me will always love you, but it's not the same. I don't love you the way I used to, and I don't love you the way I love him."

"Who the hell is he, Emma?"

"He's the first person after you who made me even believe I _could _be loved. He was the Sheriff of Storybrooke before me, he's the closest thing Henry ever had to a father before _you_, and if Henry's book is to be believed he is pretty much solely responsible for my _entire family_ even being _alive_. The night he died, I kissed him and he told me he _remembered_. Do you know what that means, Neal?"

"True Love's Kiss," Neal whispers. His face falls in resignation.

"Great. Now that we've gotten that out of the way, can you just focus on Henry?"

"You're right. Henry is what's important here."

Emma nods, then goes and joins the others, sitting with Graham. He takes her hand in his, squeezing it, reassuring her that he's there more than anything else.

"What happened between you?" he asks.

"Not now, Graham," she says quietly, "That's a story for _after_ we've got Henry back. I will tell you, though. Promise."

He brings her hand to his lips and gives it a kiss.

"No rush, princess," he says, "It's probably better if I don't know exactly how he hurt you just yet. We still have to work together for Henry's sake. But someday, I want us to know everything about each other. The whole stories. Not just whatever you got out of Henry's book, not just what little I know from hiring you as my deputy. Everything."

"Don't call me princess," Emma laughs softly. His wanting to know everything is huge and scary, but she'd be lying if she said she hadn't thought the same.

She leans her head on his shoulder. Tink wants to wait for Regina to get back before they move on Pan's camp, and is arguing about it with David and Hook and Mary Margaret. Neal is still sulking, about as far away from her as he can get. She has time for this moment, before she has to start worrying about what Regina will do when she sees Graham, before she has to worry about fighting a bunch of orphans who remind her of herself, before she has to start worrying again. It's just a moment. But it's a moment she's needed every day since his death.


End file.
